The state’s 3,200 miles of Great Lakes coastline yield a bounty of treasures besides agates, notably Petoskey stones.   About 350 million years ago, when what is now Michigan was covered by sea water, the coral hexagonaria percarinata formed reefs that, eons later, were broken up by glaciers that moved across the land.

From the vivid cliffs of Sleeping Bear Dunes to the dim scratchings of the Sanilac Petroglyphs, Michigan’s Native American heritage enhances the tourist experience in profound ways.

We’ve put together a list of the best ways to boat and float for the whole crew (or family) on our Great Lakes.

From his base near Beulah in northwest Lower Michigan, Michael Gray has made a living by leading kayak tours to exotic destinations. But in summer, it’s Michigan where Gray points his paddle, on the Betsie River to wineries along Grand Traverse Bay, and to Lake Superior’s Isle Royale National Park.

Sault Ste. Marie, the state’s first permanent European settlement celebrates its 350th birthday this year. From voyageurs to very good microbrews, this U.P. city makes a great getaway.

At the 45th Parallel, halfway between the equator and the North Pole, Michigan has a sweet spot that is kissed by the waves of the largest lake totally within U.S. borders. It’s a tart spot, too. This spot, in Michigan’s northwest Lower Peninsula, is the world’s Cherry Capital.

Stony shorelines and sandy dunes attract more than 60 million visitors each year to the edges of the Great Lakes, most of them never knowing what lies just out of sight beneath the chilly waves.
What’s there are shipwrecks—nearly 6,000 of them.

Michigan-born Thomas Lents moved out of the state, built his career, received national accolades for his cooking, survived cancer, moved home and opened a dynamic restaurant to rave reviews.

Nicknamed the Jolly Green Giant, the 26-foot-tall Spirit of Detroit has been the symbol of the city since 1958, when it was installed at the entrance of the new home of Detroit and Wayne County government business.

There aren’t many places in the world where you can walk on water. But that’s possible on guided tours of the Alden B. Dow Home & Studio, a marvel of mid-century modern architecture in Midland, near the Thumb in the Great Lakes Bay region.

Falling Rock Cafe & Bookstore takes its java so seriously, it founded Great Lakes Coffee Company to bring the best brew possible to the hangout in downtown Munising, the western gateway to Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore.

A summertime resort area since the late 1800s, Les Cheneaux is home to a boat building school and a culinary arts school with a restaurant that serves as an internship for its annual small class of aspiring chefs.